How to Get More Out of Your 24 Hours

There are 24 hours in a day but it never seems like enough. Time management is one of the most difficult things to do when you have a busy schedule and full plate of projects and tasks. When you have a long list of items to complete, it can sometimes feel as if you’re drowning and have no way to get through everything without moving things around or pushing things off till tomorrow. You may have experienced this before but we’re here to tell you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Although “creating extra time” is technically an impossible feat, there are ways for you to get better at time management. Proper time management is a talent that is learned through experience and is very attainable if you set your mind to it. Where there is a will, there is a way!

Create more time in your day by making small adjustments to your work processes. There are many tools out there that can help you with time management and putting an end to time-suck activities. We’ve talked about productivity before, and all of the things you should do to reach your most productive state. The habits that make you productive go hand in hand with the habits that help you manage your time better.

Here are 3 ways to create some more time in your day:

#1 Time blocking.

Time blocking is the practice of allocating blocks of time throughout the day to specific tasks. If you’re well aware of the recurring tasks you do on a daily basis, block out a chunk of time to accomplish each. While this may seem a bit robotic, this is the best way to figure out which tasks are taking more time than necessary and based on your analysis you can figure out how to optimize your workflow and save more time! Try using a simple excel for time blocking. All you have to do is break up your schedule by day, and then by hour. Use the hour blocks to determine how long it will take to accomplish your task at hand. You will be driven to stay within the time chunks that you have allocated for yourself and will learn more about what you’re spending your time on so you can adjust your schedule in the future!

#2 Limit social media use!

Raise your hand if you find yourself on Instagram more often than not. We’re all guilty of getting distracted my social media throughout the day, but if you notice yourself reaching for your phone multiple times throughout the day to swipe through your feed, take responsibility and put a stop to it before you realize you’ve been mindlessly scrolling for an hour. Social media is entertaining but not worth your precious time, especially if you’re trying to create extra time for yourself and your work day pursuits. Instagram has a new feature where you can set a daily timer that reminds you when you’ve reached whatever time you’ve allotted yourself. Try setting a 20-30 minute timer for yourself so that when you’ve reached the max, you’re reminded to put your phone down and get back to work ;)

#3 Get more rest.

This may seem like an irrelevant part of our quest for creating more time but by feeling well rested, you’re more likely to function at a more optimal rate than if you are tired and sluggish. You need to feel your best if you’re working through an entire task list in a day. By getting a solid amount of sleep, you will feel more capable and efficient, which just means that you’ll get more done! Try going to bed at the same time every night, establishing a sleep routine that has you feeling good and ready to take on the day in the morning.

Try incorporating these three simple things into your daily routine. You’ll notice that you have extra time on your hands if you stay consistent and committed to a more streamlined workflow. Do you have any tips for expanding the amount of time you have in a day? Let us know in the comments section below.

We built Paras to help solo-preneurs manage their projects, teams, and time better. Try Paras today to create more time in your day!